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The headline sums up today’s cycling activity. It’s only reasonable that a rainy week should be followed by a sunny weekend. This week I finally sorted the Trucker’s brakes out. The old brakes needed only a hint of moisture to squeal more disturbingly than Ned Beatty in Deliverance and their braking power wasn’t too flash either, as I learnt while having to cautiously descend many of the steep slopes on Shikoku. But that’s all a thing of the past, as I’ve taken Robo’s advice and fitted V-brakes and linear pull drop levers.

Not satisfied with the 200km brevet ride, I’ve gone and entered a 300km one which is coming up in a couple of weeks. The last one was mostly flat but this one is pretty hilly. It takes in some of the roads I rode last year when I cycled to Niseko. At the time, I described it as the toughest 100km I had done. I hope I’m stronger now. Because of the length of the ride, I’ve decided to do it on my touring bike, the Long Haul Trucker, because it’s also the more comfortable of my bikes and I think I’ll probably be grateful for that over the last 100km or so. I’ve fitted the Trucker with thinner 28mm tyres and took it for a spin on today’s ride. It seemed to go well. I hope I’ll be able to say the same thing in two weeks’ time.

Good decision with the LHT for the brevet. I firmly believe that comfort is a high priority for a solo event. You should do well.

I must have missed the Eurovision background. What I see is Cadel dishing out the so-called Belgian toothpaste to Vino. Although in this case it appears more like Belgian foundation.

Shame about Cadel’s fade at the Giro. Disappointing is the mention of mid-race factors that were out of his control. I sincerely hope he is not alluding yet again to a lack of team-mates. I also have plenty of resentment to Astana for allowing the Liquigas duo back into the mix.

Anyway, it’s a good background but it’s hard to read the grey text. I think pink text will be great.

I think the mid-race factor was that he got sick during the second week. I don’t think even at his most starry-eyed, Cadel would have been thinking: “Great, I’ll sign up to BMC and finally I’ll be on a really strong team”. I think part of being a Cadel fan is enjoying mildly mocking some of the things he says off the bike while being in awe of his determination while on it. I’ve been wearing my Cadel t-shirt every evening of the Giro and I probably should wash it now.

The Eurovision background was team Armenia. They polled quite well and I think this reflects the singer’s talented chest.

I’m enjoying this new theme’s flexibility so I think I’ll stick with it, even though the photos make the right-hand side illegible. I’ll just have to keep the photos for special occasions. For now, the pink is gone and I present to you celeste.